Merida Ride 2015
The ‘Comfort Racer’
The Ride is Merida’s self titled ‘comfort racer’ for 2015. Throughout the range from the aluminium to carbon models and top end 5000, Merida have packed in features to reduce road buzz for comfort and improve handling and performance. The geometry is more relaxed than on their racier Reacto with a shorter toptube and slightly longer headtube.
All the aluminium Ride models are less than £1,000 meaning they are eligible for Cycle 2 Work schemes - they definitely good commuter bikes for slicing through the morning traffic. The aluminium Ride models all come with carbon forks, internal cabling (Except the Ride 88) and tapered headtubes features you find on the carbon options so are great value for their price - especially the Shimano 105 equipped Ride 400.
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Features
Comfort And Stiffness
It seems like a contradiction but the Merida Ride 2015 range is a comfort road bike yet with the stiffness for race performance. Each Aluminium Ride gets a triple butted 6066 aluminium alloy frame (except the 88 which is double butted) which is as light and stiff as it comes. That frame is matched with a full carbon fork which helps to reduce road buzz.
As you go up in price you reach the carbon fibre Ride models which share the same tube profiles as the top end 5000 with a double chamber carbon fork to improve torsional stiffness for handling, and damping flex for comfort. Flex Stay technology allows the rear stays to soak up and absorb road vibrations too.
For serious riders the top end Ride 5000 (just £300 more than the 4000) takes comfort to the next level with a vibration dampening F-Flex fork and bio flax fibres woven into the carbon fibre at key areas of the frame. It also features a Shimano Ultegra groupset rather than the 105 and Tiagra found on the other two carbon options.
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Rider
Aspiring Racers And Recreational Roadies
The Merida Ride is a great all rounder road bike. You can tour, race or just ride for fun and fitness. Competitively priced with great spec and components the range appeals for beginner roadies up to more aspiring racers.
Perhaps the biggest choice to make for most will be whether to choose the top end aluminium Ride 400 (Cycle to Work eligible) of opt for the low end carbon 3000 with a better frame but lower groupset. You could always upgrade the groupset over time and still have the high quality frame. Also consider, all the carbon frames are Shimano Di2 compatible.
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X Taper Headtube
What? Steering tube with 2 bearings tapering from 1 1/8” at the top to 1.5” at the bottom (all models)
Why? This really improves the front end stiffness and steering precision of the Ride
Carbon Fork
What? Rigid carbon fork (all models)
Why? Helps to dampen road buzz travelling up through the fork for comfort whilst riding and also improves steering precision
Flex Stay
What? Specially designed seat and chainstays (carbon models)
Why? Road vibrations at the back-end are minimised for better comfort whilst riding.
Compare the range
| Model | Drivetrain | Brakes | Frames/ Forks | Wheels | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ride 88 | Shimano Claris | RC-462 | RIDE EQ aluminium frame / Carbon fork | Merida Comp 20 | £446.25 | More Info |
| Ride 100 | Shimano Sora / Shimano Claris | Dual Pivot | RIDE LITE aluminium frame / Carbon comp fork (9.83kg - ML frame, no pedals) | Merida Comp 20 | £449.99 | More Info |
| Ride 200 | Shimano Sora | Merida Road Comp | RIDE LITE aluminium frame / Carbon comp fork (9.65kg - ML frame, no pedals) | Merida Comp 20 | £562.49 | More Info |
| Ride 300 | Shimano Tiagra | Merida Road Comp | RIDE LITE aluminium frame / Carbon comp fork (9.35kg - ML frame, no pedals) | Merida Comp 20 | £499.99 | More Info |
| Ride 400 | Shimano 105 | Merida Road Pro | RIDE LITE aluminium frame / Carbon race fork (8.88kg - ML frame, no pedals) | Fulcrum Racing Sport | £850.00 | More Info |
| Ride 3000 | Shimano Tiagra | Merida Road Pro | RIDE CF2 carbon frame / Carbon race fork (8.69kg - ML frame, no pedals) | Merida Comp 24 | £999.00 | More Info |
| Ride 4000 | Shimano 105 | Merida Road Pro | RIDE CF2 carbon frame / Carbon race fork (8.41kg - ML frame, no pedals) | Fulcrum Racing Sport | £899.99 | More Info |
| Ride 5000 | Shimano Ultegra | Shimano R561 | RIDE CF3 carbon frame / Carbon Race-Sport flex fork (8.12kg - ML frame, no pedals) | Fulcrum Racing 7 | £1,199.99 | More Info |
